Only You
by twoweeksgone
Summary: What will happen when Apple falls in love with the destined villain of her story? Warning for ApplexRaven.
1. Getting Fairest Pre-Legacy Day

Apple held the curler still, wrapped tightly around her blonde locks, counted out two seconds and then let it fall down around her shoulder. She smiled at her reflection in the small hand mirror admiring the royally perfect curl. She needed to look hexcellent when she sealed her fate tonight at Legacy Day, she needed to look as proper as a queen. Apple set the mirror up against her knees and prepared to curl another section of her thick hair.

The blonde took a deep breath as her thoughts drifted to what her life would be like after school ended. Enchanted mirrors, friendly huntsmen, seven dwarves, poisoned apples, glass caskets, and most importantly a happily ever after complete with her dream-come-true Prince Charming. It was all very exciting but she couldn't help but feel like something was wrong with it. She would never admit it but her story never felt completely right to her, Apple knew she was lucky to have such a spell-tacular destiny awaiting her but something always felt off about it.

She shook the thoughts away and returned her focus to the curling iron, carefully counting out two slow seconds and letting it fall, rinse and repeat. Apple turned her attention to the beautiful gown she planned to wear that evening, smiling contentedly as she began to fantasize about turning heads as she walked down the aisles of students, more so than usual. Lost in her fantasies, her finger accidentally slipped onto the heating pad of the curler, "Curses!" She hissed out, quickly putting the curler down and assessing the burn. She quickly glanced across the room to make sure Raven hadn't noticed the incident, though of course she had, even though the music blasting from her mirrorphone into her headphones.

"Apple? Are you alright?" Raven rushed over to her side and grabbed Apple's porcelain-white hand.

"No, Raven!" Apple nudged her away, "You're supposed to be happy this happened, not trying to help!"

Raven rolled her eyes fondly and moved back beside Apple to look at the red mark on the tip of her index finger, "Nonsense. You're my friend and I might actually be able to help."

"I'm fine, it's small. I just got distracted for a second and wasn't really paying attention."

The dark-haired girl nodded understandingly, "Yeah, I noticed that you seemed to be thinking pretty hard abut something over here. Nervous?" Raven supposed even people like Apple- so excited to jump into their destinies and live out their happily ever after got anxious on Legacy Day.

Apple nodded minutely, "Only a little. It's just all so hexciting, and I'm afraid of-" She caught herself quickly, "uh, something going wrong, I guess?" She gave Raven the most queenly reassuring smile she could muster.

"I'm a little nervous too." Raven admitted, walking back over to her side of the room and carefully deciding not to say anything to Apple about how she wasn't sure she was even going to pledge her destiny.

The destined Evil Queen looked into her vanity mirror at the clean twists she had arranged with the front pieces of her hair, and began to pull the rest of it into a thick and pristine side ponytail. Behind her in the reflection she could see Apple bite her lip nervously - like she was hiding something. She contemplated staying silent but ultimately decided that helping soothe her friend's anxieties was the best thing to do, "Are you sure everything's all right? I figured you of all people would be jumping for joy on this occasion."

Apple glanced up at her, butterflies dancing around in her stomach. She needed to get this off her chest before her destiny was set. She needed to tell someone and then have it never brought up again, "Raven. I've just been thinking…" Apple paused thoughtfully, "I feel like there's a flaw in my story somewhere."

Raven froze, how did she know. Her brain flooded with ridiculous thoughts about how title characters probably had some sort of sixth sense on finding out when something or someone was interfering with their story. She chose her next words slowly and carefully as she tried to nonchalantly brush the tangles out of her hair, "What do you mean?"

"The ending. It doesn't seem right, the true love's kiss, the Prince Charming. It all sounds perfect on paper but-" Apple paused and Raven remained on end.

"But what?"

So quietly Raven had to strain to hear, Apple replied, "Maybe I don't want a Prince Charming." Raven couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, "I've never felt anything for a Prince. And maybe it's only because I won't until the story starts but I'm just scared that it will never happen and that my perfect future will be ruined and it will be my own fault."

Raven put the brush down and turned around in her chair, "That's not a fault, Apple. That's just a part of being you, and there's nothing wrong with it." She turned back around slowly and gently added, "Anyway, you don't have to turn the key tonight, you can always make your own destiny."

Apple looked thoroughly appalled by her roommate's words, "I would rather live a half-life than destroy my story forever after. And I sincerely hope that that's not what you're going to do. Because that decision would affect more than just me and you."

"But you said it yourself! You don't want a Prince Charming, you called it a 'half-life'! Wouldn't you rather pave your own path and marry your very own _Princess_ Charming. Wouldn't that be way more hexciting than a planned out future?"

Apple remained quiet for a very long time, before replying, "You know what Headmaster Grimm says about people that don't accept their fate. Their stories _disappear_. Lost forever and never told again."

"The world is constantly changing around us, isn't it about time we change too?"

The blonde didn't reply and instead went back to curling her hair, silently mulling things over in her mind.

—e.a.h—

Time passed and soon their hair and makeup was done and their gowns had been zipped up and arranged hexquisitely.

Apple turned to face Raven, sucking in a breath at the sight of her friend in her silver and purple formalwear that was fit for a Queen - well an Evil Queen, "You look…" She was temporarily lost for words but quickly regained composure, "spelltacular."

Raven grinned, "Thanks. So do you." She reached out her hand to grab Apple's, and gave it a small squeeze, "Are you ready to go out there and turn some heads?"

"Definitely." Just as she was about to pull away Raven placed a small peck on her lips, it was chaste and modest but Apple couldn't help but feel like she was floating on air. The moment was quickly over as her roommate pulled back and flashed her a small smile before turning to go grab her handbag.

Apple brought her hand up to her lips, touching the warm skin that had been covered just moments ago, she tried to force the exhilaration she was drowning in away, reminding herself to think of her special Prince Charming and how happy life would be.

As Raven headed to the door, she was filled with new confidence on what she had to do. Not pledging her story would free Apple to live a fulfilled life with whoever she wanted. And Apple may fight it at first but in the end Raven felt she would accept the decision and find someone perfect for a new happily ever after. Her hand was just about to turn the doorknob when Apple stopped her.

"Don't tell anyone. Please." Raven had never seen her blue eyes filled with such honest emotion.

"I won't. I promise."

And with that they headed down to the ceremony and did what would change their lives forever.


	2. The Aching in My Heart

The horrible images of her future filled Raven's head as she slowly reached towards the quill. Her fingers were nearly there, when she came to her senses. She was going to have to take this risk. For her own sake, for Apple's sake, for everybody's sake. The terror of disappearing was there, but even more present was the need for change in Ever After High. The need for change in the fairytale world, period.

Raven slammed her hands down on the podium, "I am Raven Queen. And I'm going to write my _own destiny_. My happily ever after starts," She grabbed the cover of the Storybook of Legends, roughly. "_Now." _The word was accented by the loud _thump_ of the book being forced shut. The legendary mirrors surrounding the platform shattered, but Raven remained confident in her decision and held her head high. The response was a combination of booing and cheering from the Royal and Rebel sections of the crowd.

She let out a flustered sigh, when it dawned on her. Raven looked down at her hands, feeling that they were still solid and definitely still _there_. "I-I'm still here." The black-haired witch turned forcefully toward Headmaster Grimm, "I _didn't _disappear!" She exclaimed.

He narrowed his eyes at her and she prepared to retaliate, but a voice stopped her, "How could you be… so selfish." Apple's eyes were filled with the same intense emotion as before, and Raven suddenly felt completely and utterly overwhelmed.

"I'm sorry, Apple! But I- ju-" Raven huffed in aggravation. Without thinking, she snapped around and flexed out her hands and arms, "Hold everything!" And just like that, everyone was frozen in place.

Frightened, Raven brought her arms close to her, "Whoa. I didn't know I could do that." She looked towards Apple and harnessed the power to unfreeze her.

Apple came back into animation, feeling just as intense as before. How could Raven do that? How could she ruin the destinies of countless people without showing any remorse? She really was the daughter of the Evil Queen. Born wicked with no way to prevent it, no matter how badly she wanted to.

"I'm sorry, Apple." Raven said sincerely. "But I don't want anyone to tell me who to be. I want to figure that out on my _own_. And don't you understand I'm not the only one who gets to choose their own destiny now. We all do! Even you."

Apple guiltily thought back to their moment earlier that evening and forced herself to shove the light and airy feeling into the pits of her stomach. She knew the part she needed to play, "But- I don't want to _choose_ a new destiny. I liked the one I had. And because of _you_," She pointed a finger bitterly at Raven, "It might not happen."

Raven felt bad, she could feel the guilt washing over her. She knew Apple would be way happier controlling her own life, finding her own love, yet the bad feeling wouldn't go away, "But it might." She tried to be reassuring.

Apple felt the tears begin to fall and her body began to heave with sobs. Raven quickly raised a hand to rub her shoulder in what she hoped was a comforting manner, "I don't know." Apple began. "I just don't know" And with that she ran away.

Raven wrapped her arms around herself and tried to remain calm.

— e.a.h —

After Raven's conversation with Maddie, she felt a lot better. And now she was determined to find Apple.

She searched through corridors upon corridors of classrooms. She checked both Briar's and Blondie's rooms, much to their dissatisfaction. And even did a quick look in Daring's quarters.

Eventually she found her huddled up in a ball, wedged between her Magic Mirror and a chest of drawers.

"Apple?" Raven ventured towards the heap of fabric carefully, "I know you're upset. But don't you see how great this news is? Now you can find your own love and be truly happy." The lump seemed to whimper and breathe heavily for a few prolonged moments, then a blonde head peeked out from the pile and glared at her.

"I was happy. I _was_ going to find my true love." Her pout was probably visible from the moon. Apple began to climb out of the hump, pushing the fabric out of the way and lifting her chin to seem taller, although she was still nearly a foot shorter than Raven and the red tear-stained cheeks and quivering lip didn't provide a very powerful image.

Raven reached out a hand to comfort her, placing it gently on her shoulder and sliding it down her upper arm in careful caress, she didn't know what to say and whatever words came out of her mouth, Raven knew Apple would promptly reject. So the dark-haired girl remained silent and pulled Apple into a close embrace. The blonde seemed as if she wanted to pull away at first but gave up and leaned into the touch, sniffling against Raven's shoulder. That was when Raven knew she was head over heels out the window, she had probably ruined any prospect of friendship with the daughter of Snow White and now with her arms around her in comfort, she almost felt like she should have sealed her fate, if only to see Apple's radiant smile again.


End file.
